An Introduction To Anguilla Vacations

The mere mention of Anguilla vacations tends to conjure images of mega yachts, a life of super luxury, the ultimate in fine dining, talcum-powdery white sand beaches, and no-limit budgets. Is it because of all the celebrities that make Anguilla their vacation hideaway? Is it a tightly held secret amongst the world's multi-millionaires and billionaires? it could be, but the "secret" is getting out!

This introduction to Anguilla vacations shows you both sides of Anguilla, with the emphasis on affordable. You can spend a week or two here as inexpensively as any other tropical island, or you can "max out your AMEX Black card."

Welcome to Anguilla Vacations, Your Way!

Step 1) Getting to Anguilla

Anguilla is "known" to be hard and expensive to reach. But
flights to Anguillacan be, in fact, cheap and non-stop.

How? By flying into a major hub of an island just a few miles south and catching a boat across. It's so easy.

We learned the hard way not to fly into Anguilla. Too many stops. Snow-bound stops, sometimes, costing you a lost day. Instead...

Strongly recommended!... The secret to saving costs and time on Anguilla flights is to fly into Anguilla's neighboring island, and Caribbean hub, St. Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport ("SXM"). Many cheap charters fly from major American, Canadian, and even some European (Paris) cities regularly.

From the NorthEast (ex., New York, Boston, Montreal, Toronto), fly non-stop to SXM. Instead of flying with one or more stops (each stop being a potential snow delay), just to reach Puerto Rico. And the irregular connections from Puerto Rico often mean you stay overnight there.

The solution? Remove the Puerto Rico bottleneck. Fly straight to St. Maarten (ex., JFK has daily non-stop JetBlue service). From there, it's a simple 20 minute ferry ride to Anguilla. The boat is easy to book from home...

Arrange ahead of time to hop aboard our favorite ferry to Anguilla. The people at Link are so professional (tell Key I sent you, she'll make sure you're all set). They will meet you at the airport, help you with the Customs stuff, and you'll be Anguilla-bound in no time!

So many folks either don't know about this option or are afraid that
the boat won't be there to pick them up. It will be. Once you have done it the
first time, you will do it every time. It's that much easier, cheaper
and faster.

There are other ways of getting to Anguilla of course...

Flying to Anguilla directly...

Anguilla Airport... Wallblake Airport

The Anguilla airport is a charming Caribbean airport, simple and breezy. It's such a special, "small-island" feeling to land in Anguilla.

If you are flying from San Juan, there are only flights provided by Tradewind Aviation, Cape Air and Anguilla Air Express, a luxury Anguilla airline. All are pricey.

Update 2016: There is now an affordable way to travel to Anguilla from San Juan. Seabourne Airlines offers regular flights that are far more affordable. They are getting terrific reviews, too. More details coming soon.

Flying from St. Maarten to Anguilla is ultra-smooth now thanks to Anguilla Air Services and Trans Anguilla. Anguilla Air Services operates flights daily on a schedule. Trans Anguilla offers private charter flights. Both have terrific reputations and come highly recommended!

And I would be remiss if I did not mention the "rich and famous" options...

Have a private jet? The only problem with bringing your own plane is "finding parking." Around Christmas, Anguilla's tiny airport is at capacity! I can just imagine the conversation when a Hollywood star tells a billionaire tycoon, "Move your G5!"

Step 2) Anguilla Accommodations

The next step is finding a place to stay. Anguilla vacations offer, to oversimplify a bit, three ranges of accommodations...

First, Luxury Anguilla Villas & Hotels

Anguilla is known for its luxurious accommodations!

Staying at a villa? Some of the villas on Anguilla are truly mind-blowing. No expense is spared to pamper you. And no expense is spared by guests for the privilege... rates run as high as $80-$100,000 for one week during the island's hot season, Christmas.

Tequila Sunrise is indeed a luxurious experience, with the ultimate in design and finishings. Of course, location is key. This villa is secluded on the southern shore of the island, overlooking majestic St. Martin and the deep Caribbean sea. It is more affordable than many other luxury Anguilla villas, if you are in this bracket.

What about hotels? Anguilla's luxury hotels provide high-end comfort, privacy and intimacy. CuisinArt is one of the island's top luxury resorts, with a plethora of offerings.

CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa

Plush rooms are set right on the smooth sands of Rendezvous Bay (gazing out to the Caribbean Sea and St. Martin). The cuisine is some of the island's very best thanks to Executive Chef Jasper Schneider. And, the resort's Greg Norman designed golf course and award-winning spa are recognized across the region. You can read more on CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa here.

Malliouhana was built in the 1980s, a product of passion, a labor of love. Gracing one of Anguilla's most beautiful beaches, Meads Bay, dotted with many five-star restaurants for fine dining, you can't go wrong. A junior or full suite (on private Turtle Bay Beach) at Malliouhana is a top pick for Anguilla vacations.

A small hotel with comfortable furnishings and updated modern bathrooms, each room has a flat screen TV. Your room is either on the beach or has an excellent view. Tennis courts and beach chairs and outdoor grills. At $300-600, Carimar is the best deal on the island and books up fast for Anguilla vacations!

Looking for best-buy villas in the mid-price range?

Jackie & Me

This is where Jackie Pascher really comes in handy and shows you how much she knows about Anguilla and how hard working she is!

Is there such a thing as low-cost villas in Anguilla? Contrary to what you may believe, Anguilla villas are not just for the likes of Jay-Z and Beyonce!

Quaint Anguilla villas can be found that are a fraction of the price of the ones that attract the big celebrities. One of our favorites is C-Breeze Inn in the local fishing village, Sandy Ground. It is a cute villa, opening up onto Sandy Ground's salt pond. C-Breeze Inn is currently not available to rent, but if you contact Jackie Pascher, she will find you something in your price range.

And here's another, little-known option...

Anguilla Apartments Renting an Anguilla apartment may be the most economical approach to Anguilla vacations. Klasher Apartments, are located in North Hill, inland Anguilla. They are simple, clean and close to the island's capital, The Valley, and the popular beach Sandy Ground. Klasher apartments provide a very affordable approach to Anguilla vacations and definitely is the way to go for long-term stays!

Do a Google search of this site (top left corner of this page, just enter "apartments") to find more availabilities for your Anguilla vacation.

Step 3) Getting Around Anguilla

It still surprises me to hear that many travelers to Anguilla rarely leave their resort or beach where they are staying. Anguilla is safe. You can explore anywhere without any worries.

Many spend their Anguilla vacations shuttling between beaches and restaurants in hired taxis.

Anguilla taxis can be found at Blowing Point ferry terminal and at the airport. Taxi drivers are kind, hospitable and friendly. Many offer tours of the island, and can be hired to pick you up from your hotel and take you out for dinner, or to the beach, wherever you please. The only drawback to taxis in Anguilla is the cost. They can get expensive.

Taking a taxi is one way to get around, but it's not the economical one and for those seeking to really see the island and get in touch with all that Anguilla has to offer. So that brings us to...

Anguilla car rentals!

Island Car Rentals is our favorite Anguilla car rental agency on the island. They are friendly and easy to deal with, setting up so much of the paperwork in advance and making it as effortless as can be.

Hop in your Anguilla rental car with a map of Anguilla and you will be on your way to experiencing all of the hidden beauty and adventure this tiny gem of an island has to offer.

For example, we recently found a little-known road that takes you
out to the western-most tip of Anguilla where you can find an unknown beach and see Anguillita Island. Best part of it all. The adventure is free!
That makes my Dad happy...

Step 4) Eating: Anguilla Restaurants

The three things I miss about Anguilla when we're off-island? The sea, the sun, and the Anguilla dining experience.

Eating in Anguilla is really that... an experience. It is relaxing, calming, an event that can last an entire afternoon, or go on all night.

Like Anguilla villas and hotels, Anguilla restaurants are not all the super-high-end budget-breakers you've heard about. Again, to keep matter simple, let's divide them into three categories.

First, Anguilla's Fine Dining

We have fallen in love with da'Vida on Crocus Bay. It screams, "This is Anguilla." A must-eat.

da'Vida, Crocus Bay

Dinner is exceptional, accompanied by the rhythmic waves of Crocus, which for some reason we find particularly pleasing. Their late afternoon/sunset tapas? To die for! And what's my extra-special fave about da'Vida?

Ferry Boat Inn is on Anguilla's south shore. There is nothing more peaceful than gazing out at the shiny lights of St. Maarten...

Biting Into a Burger at FBI

This family-run restaurant and inn is owned by warm and wonderful people who will make you feel right at home.

Their burger is my favorite item on the menu (best on the island!), juicy and tender, served with hand-cut potato fries. (Ask for the sauce on the side in case you don't like it.)

Yummm, no one beats Christian's (owner and bartender) burger. Their crispy chicken burger is another favorite!

Every Wednesday Christian serves wings with blue cheese sauce. On Thursdays, they do a special dinner for the family on the island. While it really is "for family," you're part of the extended family and welcome. I hope you get lucky and they make roast beef on your vacation.

Activities: What To Do In Anguilla? By Land And By Sea!

Anguilla activities, at least from my viewpoint, really should involve the water!

Premier watersports company, Anguilla Watersports is the very best when it comes to activities on the sea. They offer...

SUP tours and rentals

Glass bottom kayaks tours and rentals

Kitesurfing lessons and rentals

Yep, they even have you covered if you're looking for something a little more adventurous. Anguilla is a kitesurfing paradise!

With prevailing tradewinds and calm waters, it's a top spot for beginners, and when the wind and waves really pick up, it's fun for experts, too. One guy who lives and breathes kitesurfing on the island is Judd Burdon, owner of Anguilla Watersports.

They are reliable, safe and so friendly. Their captains take good care of you and will bring you to explore Anguilla's offshore cays and islands, as well as its hidden coves....

Scrub Island, Prickly Pear, Sandy Island and Little Bay

lesser known spots such as Dog Island or favorite St. Martin offshore islands like Tintamarre.

for the more adventurous, try deep-sea fishing, explore farther out to Sombrero Island or day-trip to St. Barths

Sandy Island and Little Bay don't require shelling out the big bucks (private charters costs can run high!). There are hourly boats that travel back and forth between Anguilla and these private escapes.

Want to Know What HappensEach Day of Your Anguilla Vacation?

Anguilla golf is alive and well (prices have come down considerably). And you'll find some interesting shops while shopping Anguilla. And, of course, you can play all the usual sports.

Explore the island by rental car with a good map. Visit the most impressive beaches if this is your first trip. And keep your eyes peeled, you can run into celebrities anywhere, anytime. While we're on the topic
of the rich and famous...

If you stay on the larger roads, you won't find the opulent mansions that dot Anguilla. How to find them? Get off the beaten (paved) track and head down to dead-ends at the sea.
And do explore the 5-star hotels, just for the
experience (it makes sense to be discrete and just a little "tropical dressed up").

You can enjoy yourself immensely for the price of a gallon of gas. Want to spend less than
that? For a bottle of water, you can really see Anguilla, an island that was made for easy-hiking...

Hiking out to the Western tip and Anguillita island is an oh-so-rewarding hike, perfect "to do" for a cheap Caribbean vacation.

Exploring the opposite end of the island, climbing to the top of Windward Point on the East tip, is also a magical experience. Look for whales! They tend to frolic between the Eastern tip of Anguilla and Scrub Island.

"Done" the tips of the island and ready for more? Drive down to any dead-end by the sea.
Bring your water. Park the car. And start hiking.

Lastly, exploring by air... It may not be the most conventional thing to do on an Anguilla vacation, but it is worth every penny!

They also offer air tours of Anguilla. Anguilla from the sky? We just had to do this!

Seeing Anguilla from the air offers a whole new perspective... It is breathtaking, refueling all passions for the island. Explore, explore, explore... there is so much beauty to see in Anguilla.

Exploring Anguilla

Lastly, if you want to really see the island, explore and adventure, I have put together a series of Anguilla itineraries to help plan vacation days according to region. From east to west, covering "must-sees" and off-the-beaten-path type of stuff, these itineraries are map-based and have plenty of information for each point of interest featured. They can also be used on your mobile phone!

Anguilla On A Shoestring

Finally, if you are planning a budget-friendly vacation to Anguilla, rest assured that it IS possible! Anguilla may be known for catering to the jet set, but a reasonably priced trip to Anguilla can be had, too.

Anguilla Vacations... Barely Scratched The Surface

There you have it! It is impossible to whittle Anguilla vacations down to an "absolute top ten favorites" list, because they are all favorites, but these are some of our most memorable must-do's. And as you can see, you can have a wonderful time for only a few dollars.

This introduction to Anguilla vacations has barely scratched the surface. I hope you enjoy the site. Print out the pages that appeal to you the most.
Please let folks here know how you found them. I love their smiles when
they see me! :-)

5 Not-To-Be-Missed Anguilla Nightlife Spots... Anguilla may be a tranquil island, but you can always find something to do at night. From laid-back beach bars, to more luxurious lounges, to local discos and clubs, the vibe can range from low-key and relaxed to energized.

Anguilla's Festival Del Mar takes place every Easter weekend in Island Harbour. The local village really comes alive with this festival that's all about the sea! Live music, dancing, soldier crab races, boat races, swimming contests, a deep sea fishing competition, and all of the fresh, tasty seafood you can eat... it's an event not to be missed.

Anguilla's Valley Street Festival is held the first Saturday of every month.
Romaro Richardson shares his experience of this cultural of afternoon of eating, drinking and being merry.

Anguilla's Welches Festival, similarily to the Valley Street Festival, is an afternoon of music, dancing and dining, held every Whit Monday.

Anguilla Lit Fest, a beautiful celebration of literature and self-expression that pulls in big names in publishing!

Anguilla's Carnival is the island's most celebrated holiday, and has the biggest beach party across the Caribbean!

Anguilla Boat Racing passionately loved by all, Anguilla boat racing season (starts in Spring) is an exciting time of the year. If you're visiting during a boat race, don't miss it.

Click here for a day-to-day guide that tells you all about Anguilla events and things to do, including where to hear live music, special menus and other attractions.

Blue Sea Anguilla is an excellent group to get in touch with if you need help planning and organizing your Anguilla vacation. Made up of a small team of tourism professionals, Blue Sea ensures vacations are smooth and relaxing.

AARF... Anguilla's Animal Rescue Foundation
Dedicated to finding the island's stray dogs and cats good homes, AARF is an excellent non-profit. Anguilla's animals make the sweetest pets, too. We speak from experience... we have 3 AARF pups! Many who have adopted kittens and puppies from the island say that they are the most special souvenirs.

And, if you happen to be on island with your pet and are in need of emergency pet care, Pelican Mobile PetCare will be able to meet your needs!

Fundraisers...

Anguilla's National Culinary Team
Meet Anguilla's National Culinary Team who are on the quest to reclaim GOLD at Miami's prestigious culinary competition, Taste of the Caribbean. Support them on their quest to gold and be entered to win a $2,000 value prize including 2 nights at Frangipani and a luxurious dinner with Chef Sweets.

Anguilla's Golden Jubilee Sculpture Symposium
The first event of its kind in Anguilla, three sculptors from the Royal British Society of Sculptors inspired Anguilla's youth through beautiful works of art that captured Anguilla's history and culture. Carved in limestone, in 2017 the Sculpture Symposium sets out to do it again, this time in honor of Anguilla's 50th Anniversary.

Ruff Training Sessions
Win a $10,000-value vacation to Anguilla and support a worthy cause: Ruff Training Sessions' participation in Tough Mudder, where they will be the first team to represent the Caribbean.

Bright Lights
A fundraiser for exceptional Anguillians, Bright Lights identifies people with the will, drive and potential to make positive change in Anguilla, and aims to support their endeavors.

Anguilla's Blood Bank
Support Rotary Club of Anguilla's effort to establish a blood bank and enter for a chance to win a piece of Anguilla!